Shamora Wright, Black Wellness Club Founder | Empowering Wellness Through Community & Self-Care
In this episode of Healthy Desert Healthy You, host Will Dean sits down with Shamora Wright, founder of the Black Wellness Club. Shamora shares her personal journey from battling postpartum depression to creating a supportive community for Black women focused on mental and physical wellness. She discusses the significance of self-care, the importance of community connections, and how her hiking group fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment. Listeners will learn about the club's initiatives, including hiking groups and upcoming mental health workshops, as well as the recent collaboration with the Desert Healthcare District, which provided essential health services to the community. Join us for an inspiring conversation about resilience, representation, and the ripple effects of prioritizing self-care within families and communities.
Takeaways:
• Shamora Wright founded the Black Wellness Club to support Black women's health.
• Her journey began with personal struggles, including postpartum depression.
• The club promotes physical wellness through hiking and community engagement.
• Collaborated with Desert Healthcare District for women's health services.
• Emphasizes the importance of self-care for mothers and caregivers.
• The club plans to expand with mental health workshops and nutrition classes.
• Highlights the need for representation in healthcare for building trust.
• Encourages community involvement and partnerships for greater impact.
#HealthyDesertHealthyYouPodcast #WillDean #ShamoraWright #BlackWellnessClub #CoachellaValley #DesertHealthcareDistrictAndFoundation #CoachellaValley #RiversideCounty #BlackWellnessClub #MentalHealth #SelfCare #CommunityWellness #Hiking #WomenEmpowerment #Nutrition #PhysicalHealth #SupportLocal #HealthEducation #MentalWellness #WellnessJourney #RepresentationMatters #FamilyHealth #Empowerment #HealthEquity
Transcript
Will Dean, Host: Hello friends. I am excited to bring to you today a a young woman who has a brand new organization, Shamora Wright, with the Black Wellness Club.
Welcome, Shamora.
Shamora Wright, Guest: Ah, thank you. How are you? I'm doing great. I'm so happy to be here. I'm excited about this.
Will Dean, Host: I am happy to have you here. So tell me about the Black Wellness Club. Why you wanted to start it, what it's all about.
Shamora Wright, Guest: I. Well, black Wellness Club started from a very personal place. I was struggling with depression and isolation, trying to find a way out of a deep hole.
After my second child was born, my dad passed away less than a month later.
Will Dean, Host: Oh, wow.
overwhelmed, especially with [:I. What started as a personal journey ended up turning into something much bigger. I began hiking the Palm Springs Tram, which was not just a personal escape, but a connection to our community's history. Eventually, I invited others to join, recognizing that many of our community faced similar struggles. I wanted to create a space for black women where we could come together, support each other, and improve our collective wellbeing.
Black Wellness Club is about changing how we show up for ourselves. Which in turn impacts our families and the broader community.
Will Dean, Host: Right. What I love about what you just said is in addition to the importance of getting out there for your own mental wellbeing, even in the beginning it was about you and then it was about family.
[:Shamora Wright, Guest: and really organically too. Yeah, because I, when I first started working out, I was going to the gym. I wasn't even thinking about being outside. It's too hot out here. But what I ended up doing was, or what I realized was that when I would go work out, I would invite a girlfriend to come with me, and sometimes we would go work out.
Other times we would just sit in the car and talk. Um, eventually we ended up getting outside, uh, because I couldn't afford the gym membership, right? So I was looking for ways to be able to get some fitness, some alone time, uh, to be able to clear my mind. So that's where the Palm Strings tram came in. It was right around the corner from where I lived at the time.
ing too. 'cause I would take [:Um, so she. Although I am inviting others to come with me, um, a lot of the community here have already been doing these things. I moved back to Palm Springs. I'm a native of Palm Springs. Um, but I moved away about 15 years ago and I just moved back in 2023. So I'm relearning the community because I did it A lot of my, uh.
Growing up in Florida.
Will Dean, Host: Oh, okay. Yeah. So
Yeah. Being in Florida, it's [:Uh, but it's, everything is flat and there's a lot of water. You know? Yes. Although I love the water. I'm a summer baby, but I really enjoy coming back and just looking at the landscape. My daughters were born in Florida, so coming back to California, one of the things that my oldest. Really made mention of, 'cause we moved back in January where the mountains and desert hot springs were really close to those mountains and you can see the real white snow as it settles on the mountains.
She made a, she always made a point to address. All the mountains are so pretty and it made me stop and realize like, wow, this is a beautiful. Place this, and I'm glad that I'm, they're, they are also getting the chance to experience that at well as well where I grew up and the treasure that we do have here in the desert.
omething about the landscape [:Shamora Wright, Guest: so pretty. It's so pretty. It
Will Dean, Host: is. And I love what you said about.
Maybe, especially for people who can't afford gym memberships. Absolutely. When it's not hot here, there are so many opportunities to be outside, to be active. Oh yes.
Shamora Wright, Guest: Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah.
Will Dean, Host: I love that. You mentioned the hikes, and I read that on your website. I'm wondering what other types of activities does the Black Wellness Club Club support at this time or, or, or maybe that you're planning to bring on?
rainer. She holds one-on-one [:And those are all, every second and fourth. Uh, Saturdays of the month. Okay. Yes. And then other programs that we are implementing that are coming soon are mental health workshops, um, as well as nutrition classes and, um, other physical health, um, avenues. Not everyone is able to get out and hike, so I wanna make sure that people have an avenue to be able to move their body
Will Dean, Host: right.
And to learn about nutrition and
ve, um, and then also impact [:Will Dean, Host: Right.
Shamora Wright, Guest: A key component in working now is the nutrition. You can't really Right. You don't see the needle moving until you really get in the kitchen.
Will Dean, Host: Right. They go hand in hand. Yeah. The diet and the physical exercise. Right? Absolutely. Absolutely. Um, and you mentioned Koya earlier. I just wanted to, so this is a really good friend of yours who's been supported.
It's, uh, Koya, is that right? So this
Shamora Wright, Guest: is Koya White. Okay. She is a co-founder of the Black Wellness Club as well. And this is my cousin.
Will Dean, Host: Fantastic. Yes. I love that. Yes. It's a family affair. Yeah.
Shamora Wright, Guest: I think what this really did start as a family. I guess project. Okay. I don't, I don't know if I wanna call it a project or not, but I moved back home to be close to my family.
mselves accountable to their [:Right. You know?
Will Dean, Host: Yeah, absolutely. Part of the philosophy of the Black Wellness Club is to sort of educate black women too, about you need to put yourself first. Um, so that your health is good in order to be able to support others the way that you want to, the way that you do, not the way that you want to, the way that you do.
Exactly. Exactly. Okay.
ental, detrimental to people [:Hmm. It actually is a benefit when we are able to pour into ourselves. You can't pour from an empty cup. You have to be able to have something to give to other people. Absolutely. You can't truly show up for other people unless you are showing up for yourself and then you do it out of love and not resentment.
Right. And then it's easy and you do it more and then you inspire other people to do that as well.
Will Dean, Host: Well, I wanna talk about one instance where the Black Wellness Club definitely showed up. Um, you recently collaborated with the Desert Healthcare District Inn Foundation in a women's health event, which, um, was very successful providing, I think mammograms and pap smears and other health services.
Yes. What stood out about that event as significant?
Shamora Wright, Guest: The accessibility.
Will Dean, Host: Okay.
land neighborhood where they [:The presence of the Pink Journey Foundation was also powerful. They offered me personal advice on navigating my own health concerns, especially in the light of my own family history with breast cancer, provided resources that could support me and others in similar situations. It was more than a clinic, it was care, connection and empowerment in real time.
Will Dean, Host: Right. And I felt the same to your point about. How we showed up, it was through our mobile medical clinics. It was all, yeah,
Shamora Wright, Guest: it was nice.
Will Dean, Host: Those
Shamora Wright, Guest: mobile trucks were really nice. They had three big trucks and for each service that you were able to receive, you would go to, you know, your prospective one. And as when I first walked into it, I thought it was just that open area that.
you go into to actually have [:We had to Okay. Email him back and forth. Right. So it was, it was awesome. Yeah. I was so thankful that they, uh, partnered with us, allowed us to come and showcase our, what we are doing in the community as well, as well as us participating in the pap smears and the mammograms, because I was lucky enough to get in and was able to get my services done as well.
Will Dean, Host: I know there was a waiting list actually. Oh yeah, yeah. Oh
e, oh, I'm just gonna go and [:But I did call just to make sure that I was able to get the service because later I did see that there was an age requirement. However, I wasn't able to receive that service. But their lead in that program, she, even over the phone, give me a lot of resources in order for me to be able to take advantage.
They weren't able to treat me in that setting.
Will Dean, Host: We are referring to the Pink Journey Foundation. Right? The Pink
Shamora Wright, Guest: Journey Foundation. Okay. They're awesome too. They are, yes. I, I understand that they partner with Desert Healthcare District often as well. Yes, yes,
Will Dean, Host: absolutely. Very nice people. So yeah, thank you for sharing that.
The mobile medical clinics have been really. Integral to our mission of breaking down the barriers. Some people can't get to a clinic or a hospital. And my colleague Alejandro Espinoza has been really great at really coordinating that. So I'm gonna go back to something we were talking about earlier, and that was.
en needing to put themselves [:Have you noticed anything?
Shamora Wright, Guest: Absolutely. I've seen ripple effects firsthand in my own household. When I prioritize my health, especially my mental wellbeing, I have the capacity and the energy to fully be present with my children, and that's the most important thing to me right now. It sets an example from my daughter showing them that caring for yourself is an optional, it's a necessity.
What's even more beautiful is that they've started to adopt some of these practices themselves. One thing we focus on is breath work. Now they know how to pause, check in with themselves, take a deep breath when they're feeling overwhelmed. It doesn't work all the time. It doesn't work all the time.
're eight. There's seven and [:Will Dean, Host: I love that. It's
Shamora Wright, Guest: wild. It's wild. So I know for sure that it's, it's the model that's set at home that really dictates how, uh, the younger generation moves through life.
Will Dean, Host: Absolutely. Yes. So let's talk about the future. Where would you like to see the Black Wellness Club in five years?
es that truly align with our [:I also see us expanding beyond the Coachella Valley, bringing our work to communities that need it. Right now, we're in the early stages. We're still growing, and that's the beauty of it. The foundation is strong and the possibilities are endless.
Will Dean, Host: Right? Yeah, absolutely. I. It's all achievable.
Shamora Wright, Guest: It really is.
It really is. And even starting this, this is something completely different than I've ever done in my life. I did not like working out. I had to do, uh, you know, active activities that didn't feel like working out. I loved dance so. Me going to the gym, me intentionally going to hike is completely different than who I thought that I was previous, but I like this person that I'm growing into.
Wow. Yes.
Will Dean, Host: That's really powerful. Thank you. So anyone can actually start to begin to get active, get out there in the community. Listen, if
amora Wright, Guest: there's [:And done different things. I think that it's important for us to fulfill whatever need that we are, our whatever idea dream that is birthed within us. Just try it. I am definitely living proof of you can always start over anywhere, and I tell people that all the time. Anybody who will listen, I don't know why they'll listen, but I suspect a lot of
Will Dean, Host: people listen to you.
So what is next for your organization?
selors, therapists, doctors, [:The black community needs to see ourselves reflected in those spaces. That's what. A real connection and healing begins,
Will Dean, Host: right. It's important for the medical community, healthcare community to hear that that trust component
Shamora Wright, Guest: absolutely. Is
Will Dean, Host: essential Yes. To making communities well.
Shamora Wright, Guest: Yes. Yes.
Will Dean, Host: Uh, I think you've already answered this, but in what ways can the.
Community, residents in the community support the Black Wellness Club?
Shamora Wright, Guest: Oh, that was that answer. Okay.
Will Dean, Host: Okay. Um,
k Journey Foundation, desert [:Organizations that are already established, other hiking groups, we are def more than willing and excited to work with other groups to promote each of our missions.
Will Dean, Host: Okay. I'm excited about what you're doing.
Shamora Wright, Guest: Oh, thank you. Thank you. You all are really excited. Me. I just really did not know that this was going to take off the way that it is.
And. We'd only just begun. We started in March. Sequoia and I have been, well Sequoia again. She has been out in the streets years before I even moved back, so it's just really exciting that I'm getting to see firsthand, and I've been wanting to hang out with her more anyway, so I'm glad that she has been enthusiastic about going on this journey with me because we're definitely in partnership together.
Will Dean, Host: I love that. Where can our podcast listeners learn more about the Black Wellness Club?
Shamora Wright, Guest: [:Will Dean, Host: Excellent. Thank you, Shamora.
Shamora Wright, Guest: Thank you so much.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you for joining us on this episode of Healthy Desert Healthy You. This podcast is a production. Of the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation in Palm Springs, California. For more information, please visit the website, dhcd.org. Our annual conference site is Healthy desert Healthy You.com.
This podcast is available at most major podcast portals, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Captivate.fm, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe.
